You want your choices to be “on the nose” in the beginning to save yourself time and trouble!
Are you in the process of picking out a service dog, and want to learn about choosing the right dog? Been wondering “How do I train a service dog?”, want to know about picking a service dog breeder, or about keeping a service dog training log?
You’ve come to the right place! The following pages each contain resources helpful for those who might want to get and train a promising service dog prospect.
Remember the most valuable resource for all stages of your service dog journey is our free peer guidance group. PSDP’s peer community and these resources are a powerful one-two combo to help you do things right and avoid long-lasting heartache when picking out a service dog and starting its training.
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Background
Is owner-training or a program service dog right for me?
When you decide a service dog is right for you, the next big question is which way you should go about getting one. Dr. Veronica Morris gives you a series of questions to answer and a lot of the info you need to answer them, making you well on your way to figuring out which path makes sense for your life.
In an article originating way back in 2006, Dr. Veronica Morris shares how she and her family finally came to terms with her psychiatric disabilities—and how they learned to embrace her use of a service dog to regain her life.
Steps to Become a Service Dog User
Dr. Veronica Morris shares her succinct breakdown of the path for a person with a disability to become a service dog user.
Prospect vs. SDIT vs. SD: Which one is my dog?
Community standards and legal standards intersect in unexpected ways. Dr. Veronica Morris and Brad Morris team up to help you figure out what stage to consider your dog to be at for what purpose.
10 Traits of Successful Psychiatric Service Dog Users
This brief article by Brad Morris highlights the histories and personality traits common to people who do well using a psychiatric service dog to mitigate their disability. Do these traits sound familiar?
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Getting a dog
Dr. Veronica Morris analyzes how to optimize picking out a service dog prospect in this essential and thorough article. This is a must-read to make an educated decision in a choice that will affect you for years!
How to Pick a Breeder of a Prospective Service Dog
Community member Julia Markham, RPh explains how to find and evaluate potential breeders of a dog capable of being your service dog prospect. This peer resource on picking out a service dog breeder is adapted from one of her posts to the peer guidance group.
Questions for a Prospective Service Dog Breeder
This article from community member Mareth Perry focuses on all the questions you should be asking someone who might be breeding your next service dog. There are a lot of questions, but they’re well-organized to help you along at each stage.
How to Pick a Puppy Service Dog Prospect
If you decide to get a puppy in hopes of training it to be a service dog, community member Tracey Martin shares her experience about the process of picking a particular puppy. This peer resource on picking out a service dog puppy prospect is adapted from her recurring post to the peer guidance group.
How to Pick an Adult Service Dog Prospect
If you decide to get an adult dog in hopes of training it to be a service dog, community member Tracey Martin shares her experience about the process of picking a particular dog. This peer resource on picking out a service dog adult prospect is adapted from her recurring post to the peer guidance group.
Sometimes you need a healthcare provider to write a service dog letter for you, but they aren’t experts on service dog laws. We have info and templates to help you help them—whether it’s with a general letter, a housing letter, or a workplace accommodation letter.
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Training and handling
What’s below is only a sample. Please visit our training section to find more invaluable resources!
How to find a service dog trainer. Dr. Veronica Morris dispels myths and walks you through the options for future service dog users who don’t get a service dog from a program.
Find sample training logs, blank training logs, and why it’s so important to keep a training log on this page.
Responsible Service Dog Handling
The only kind of service dog handler to be is a responsible service dog handler! Learn and incorporate Dr. Veronica Morris’s principles of respect to become a praiseworthy example of a service dog team.
Disabled needs over others’ comfort—my service dog pouching evolution
Carrying a small service dog in a pouch used to be looked down on as “unprofessional” in the service dog community. Dr. Veronica Morris trailblazes a more disability-friendly perspective, with important lessons for everyone about our priorities.